Spec Racer Ford | Motorsports Photography by Clark McInnis

For the last 3 years, Atlanta Region SCCA’s May event at Road Atlanta has been run as a “Rational”; Regional and National classes run concurrently. Although this year the Regional races were not SARRC points events. This may have attributed to the low number of entries. This year’s event also included rounds 5 & 6 of the US Formula 1000 Championship – East.

The weather didn’t exactly cooperate and definitely attributed to the number of DNS’s (Did Not Start) in Sunday’s races. The only dry race of the weekend was the Group 5 race Saturday afternoon.

Group 1.a – B-Spec, SRF, T4, IT7, ITA, ITR, ITS, ITX, SM5, LeChump

The first race Sunday morning was a split start with Tray Ayres leading only three SRF cars to the start. Mauricio Montana led the rest of the field in the 2nd 2013-05-19 09.50.52 group of the split start. By lap 6 Montana was in the lead overall ahead of Ayres and Robeson Clay Russell. This is the way they circulated the track until the checker. Russell (#31) was able to hang with Ayres (#7) to keep the SRF battle somewhat interesting. He caught Ayres once, but spun at Turn 5. He caught up with him again, but ran out of laps.


Mauricio Montana BMW 325is Winner in Regional ITS.	Ted Thorpe Acura Integra Winner in Regional ITA.


James Green BMW 325i Winner in Regional ITR.	Tray Ayres Winner in National SRF.

Group 1.b – EP, FP, GTL, HP, STL, STU, T3, ITB, ITC, SPU

2013-05-19 15.41.39 The two Lotuses (or is that Loti?) of Wayne Presley (#0) and John Pickle (#9) were at the front of the grid since 2nd fastest qualifier Jim Kellogg did not start. Pickle got the jump on Presley and led the first nine laps. On lap 10 Pickle dropped to 4th place and Presley cruised to the overall win.


Chuck Reynolds BMW 2002 tii Winner in Regional EP.	Michael Kamalian Volkswagen Golf Winner in Regional ITB.


Christopher Everett Mazda Miata Winner in Regional STL.	Michael Kolf Mazda RX7 Winner in Regional STU.


Wayne Presley Lotus Elise Winner in National T3.	Cliff Brown Mazda Miata Winner in National STL.


John Pickle Lotus Elise Winner in National STU.	Jud Scott Porsche 944 Winner in National EP.


Michael Miller Austin Sprite Winner in National HP.

Group 2.a – CSR, DSR, FA, FB, FE, FM, ASR, FS

The first race after lunch on Sunday was checkered at the end of lap 6 due to the weather. After the race some of the drivers commented on how bad the visibility was. Lawrence Loshak had pole position and led those six laps to take the win. Glenn Cooper was 2nd until Alex Mayer took the position on lap 6. The top 3 overall made up the podium for round 6 of the US Formula 1000 Championship – East.


Christopher Bryant Mazda FM Winner in Regional FM.	Lawrence Loshak JDR F1000 Winner in National FB.


Robert Corliss Swift FA 14A Winner in National FA.	Jerome Mee Van Diemen Elan Winner in National CSR.


Tilden Kinlaw Mazda FE Winner in National FE.	Doug Piner Dauntless MX-1 Winner in National DSR.

Group 2.b – F5, FC, FF, FV, S2, CF, F6, FST

This was the smallest field of the weekend with five cars qualifying and only four cars starting the race. Pole sitter Clint McMahan only completed one lap before pulling off at the inside of Turn 1 giving the lead to Steve Brooks. Jason Fitzpatrick took the lead on lap 6 and went on to win overall.


Jason Fitzpatrick McMahan FDS 001 Winner in Regional F6.	Steve Brooks Van Diemen Winner in Regional CF.


Hawley Chester Royale RP 38/42 Winner in National S2.

Group 3 – SM, SM2

I believe this is the smallest Spec Miata field I’ve ever seen. There were only eight cars in the field. Cliff Brown had pole position, but Jonathan Czarny got a 2013-05-19 14.19.58 great start from 7th on the grid and was leading at the end of the first lap. At the end of lap 2 the order was Czarny, Brown, and Case Crowell. That was the order for the next eleven laps. But Crowell (#92) kept the pressure on Brown (#01) and on lap 14 Brown went off allowing Crowell through into 2nd place. The finishing order was Czarny, Crowell, and Brown.


Corbin Cooper Mazda Miata Winner in Regional SM.	Jonathan Czarny Mazda Miata Winner in National SM.

Group 4 – AS, GT1, GT2, GT3, T1, T2, GTA, ITO, SPO

Not much to say about this race. The pole sitter Bob Monette Did Not Start and the remaining drivers were class winners by virtue of being the only cars in class. But you have to be out there to win. Chad Bacon jumped from the 3rd starting position to lead every lap for the overall win.


Eugene Copeland Chevrolet Monte Carlo Winner in Regional GTA.	Kenneth Raines Chevrolet Camaro Winner in Regional AS.


Chad Bacon Toyota Celica Winner in National GT3.	Thomas Himes Ford Mustang Winner in National AS.


Harold Musler Chevrolet Corvette Winner in National GT1.	Jerry Onks Chevrolet Corvette Winner in National T1.

Group 5 – Formula 1000 Championship-East

2013-05-18 17.20.13 Round 5 of the US Formula 1000 Championship – East on Saturday afternoon was the only dry race of the weekend. J.R. Osborne was on pole and led the first three laps, but suddenly slowed and moved over on the front straight and let Glenn Cooper and Lawrence Loshak past. Osborne only continued four more laps before dropping out. 2013-05-18 17.40.48

Cooper led four laps and Loshak took the lead on lap 8. Loshak and Cooper had a great battle all the way to the finish, but Loshak never relinquished the lead. The margin of victory was less than 1 second.